Cap applier and remover



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J. D. M INTYRE CAP APPLIER AND REMQVER Filed D60. 16, 1932 April 10, 1934;

Patented Apr. 10, 1934 PATENT o'er-ice UNITED STATES 1 Claim.

This invention relates to an improved cover remover and applier, particularly effective in facilitating the removal of screw-threaded caps on containers such as bottles, jars, cans or the like as well as other caps which are applied to the container by a rotary movement, such, for example, as duplex caps,-Amerseal caps and the like.

It is often quite difficult tightly to apply caps of this character to containers and in many establishments where the containers are filled, as for example in bottling establishments, the hands of theworkmen become sore or injured so that there is a tendency to screw on the caps without an especially firm grip; accordingly they may loosen and pemiit leakage of the contents of the-containers in transit and consequent N600- nomic loss and troublesome adjustments. Furthermore, when caps of. this type are tightly applied, it is often difllcult for the receiver to loosen them and considerable trouble is often faced, for example, by a housewife attempting to 'open a container having a cap of this character. r

Heretofore, various devices have been provided to be disposed between the hand of theoperator to the cap, serving somewhat to increase the efe.

fective coefficient of' friction 'between the hand and the cap, but necessitating the same general .type of gripping action by the hand as is recap.

The present invention is particularly effective in avoiding these deficiencies in cap removers and tightene'rs as vheretofore'known and in af- Jury.

To permit these desirable results, a handle is provided having a relatively large surface so t that 11-. may be s pped by the perator without for this general purpose,"but have involved cer-' quired in ordinary manual application of the socket in which the gripping element of compressible, distortable material having a relatively'high coefiicient of friction is inserted. This element preferably has a gradually tapered conical or frusto-conical recess so shaped that it may engage caps of a wide variety of sizes, the. tapered shape of the recess facilitating the original insertion of the cap into working engagement with the gripping element. The gripping element and the socket which receives the same are preferably so shaped that the material of the element is normally somewhat compressed and is further compressed with a wedge-like action when the cap is inserted in the recess and the device is in its operating position. Thus, the pressure imparted to the handle may not only be effective in imparting a rotary movement to the handle, but also a'pressure directed downwardly or towardthe cap is applied which is effective in compressing the material of the gripping element thus to, afford an unusually, firm gripping action.

The retaining element is readily removable from the handle so that it may be replaced when desired andin certain cases the retaining element may be provided with two oppositely-disposed sockets so that it may be removed and reversed to afford a lengthened working life or to permit its employment with a wider range of sizes 01' caps.

A device of this character may be effectively employed in applying caps to small containers such as small bottles which are disposed in close juxtaposition as forexample in a retaining tray so that there is a' relatively small distance be- I tween the caps of adjoining bottles. If desired,

a device of this charactermay be disposed upon 'a suitable holder 'securedsto a bench or the like, and the bottle or container may be held by the operator and rotated to insure application of the cap. .Also, a device of this character may be employed with a mechanically rotatable tool or holder rather than being manually operated if desired. In the accompanying drawing, Fig. 1 is a view partly inseotl'on and partly in elevation of myimproved cap remover and applier,aportionofacontainerbeingillustratedindot'anddashlineainthe position ltwiilowuvy no 'the handle, indicated as it is being initially engaged with the cap removing and applying device;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a retainer of this character secured to a fixed fastening support;

Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the assembly shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but showing a device of the same general character having a reversible gripping element and showing the manner ii which such a device may be employed in applying caps to small containers such as hottles which have their cap portions disposed-relatively close to each other;

Fig. 5 is an elevational view of an optional.

form of gripping element; and

Fig. 6 is a central sectional view of'the device showing how the gripping element is distorted when in use. i p

In the accompanying drawing, the numeral 1 designates a handle which may be formed of any suitable relatively strong material such as hard wood, aluminum or the like and which has such a height and diameter that it is conveniently engageable by the palm-and fingers of the hand of the operator. The handle preferably has a smooth, rounded upper end which may receive the thumb or a portion of the hand of the operator so that a downward pressure may readily be applied to the handle. Anextension of by numeral 2, affords a retainer having a recess or socket 4 .therein which may be disposed concentrically in relation to the handle. As shown, this socket preferably increases in diameter toward its open lower end so that its thin circumferential wall is slightly tapered inwardly in the direction of the handle.

A gripping element 5 of rubber is disposed within the recess; this element preferably is normally of cylindrical form so that its inner end is compressed as it is forced within the socket 4. As shownin Fig. 1, the degree of compression which occurs may be such that there is normally a clearance 6 between the inner end of the gripping element and the inner wall of the socket 4. The gripping element preferably is provided with a tapered central recess 7 of frusto-conical form having its larger open end disposed slight- 1y below the end of the retainer 2. The inclination of the wall of the recess 7 of the gripping element may be varied as desired, for example, between 10 and 45', but I preferably provide an angle of inclination between 10 and 30 in relation to the central axis of the gripping element. The inner wall of the recess may have a relatively smooth surface, or suitable corrugations, ribs or the like may be employed upon this surface if desired.

In use, the handle 1 of a device of this character is clasped in the hand of the user and a container indicated by numeral 10 and shown in dot and dash lines in Fig. 1 is held by the other hand of the operator or is disposed in any suitable holder to prevent rotation. The cap upon the container which is to be removed or applied by rotation is then inserted into the recess 7 and the handle 1 is pressed in the direction of the container to compress and distort the material of element '7 (Fig. 6). This results in the gripping of surface portions of the cap adjoining its upper circumferential corner by the distortable material of the gripping element and results in a wedge-like action and in, the intermediate part of the gripping element bulging upwardly slight- 1y into the clearance space 6. The handle 1 is then rotated to turn the cap either to loosen or tighten the same as is desired.

Figs. 2 and 3 illustrate the manner in which a device such as shown in Figl 1 may be secured to a supporting surface such as a bench 12. For this purpose a supporting bracket 14 of right-angular form has a horizontal flange or leg secured by fastening elements such as screws or bolts 16 to the bench and has its upstanding leg secured by a bolt 23 to the handle 1 of the device. It is thus evident that the device is disposed with its axis substantially horizontal and the bottle or container may be held in both hands of the operator and its cap inserted into the recess of the rubber gripping element 5, compressing the latter against the rigid wall of the retainer or socket 2 with the wedge-like action previously described; the container is then rotated to loosen or tighten the cap.

Fig. 4 illustrates an optional development of the invention disclosed in Fig. 1, wherein the gripping element 5 may be reversible, being provided with oppositely disposed tapered recesses '7 and 7 which may be of somewhat different sizes. Obviously in this form of the invention, it is not desirable to make the element 5' of such a diameter that a clearance space 6 will normally result, since the inner recess 7* results in the spacing of the central part of the recem 7 from the inner wall of the socket so that distortion of the central portion of the element may take place .in response to pressure imposed in the general direction of the cap. Fig. 4 also illustrates the manner'in which a device of this character may be employed to apply caps 20 to bottles 21 of relatively small size disposed in a suitable retaining tray for filling and capping. The relatively small size of the device permits its employment between the caps 20 although they are relatively closely spaced from each other.

Fig. 5 is a view showing an optional form of gripping element 2'? having a plurality of ribs 28 extending upwardly along the surface of its recessed portion 7, these gripp n elements being molded into the rubber of the gripping element 27 to faciltate its gripping action.

It is evident that the gripping elements 5 or 5 may be provided in a plurality of sizes, and that a gripping element of any selected size provides a tapered recess adapted efiectively to grip a plurality of different sizesof caps, so that the device may be readily adapted for employment with practically any commercial size of cap. Obviously the shape of the handle may be varied to suit the particular requirements of the user, although ordinarily a large, smooth, gradually curved handle of the type disclosed has been found desirable.

A device of this character is inexpensive to manufacture and will last for a relatively long time before it is necessary to replace the rubber gripping element. The device is particularly easy upon the hands of the user and has been found especially advantageous where a workman is engaged all day in tightening screw threaded caps or the like on containers, for example, in estab lishments for manufacturing and bottling drugs, chemicals, and the like, as well as establishments where paint, varnish, and the like are prepared and put in suitable containers. The low cost of this device also makes it adaptable for use in the home, i. e., by the individual receiver or user of containers having screw threaded caps or the like.

The arrangement of the rubber gripping ele- 150 ment in the retainer or socket with its relatively rigid wall results'in a wedge-like compression 0! the distortable material of the gripping element so that the cap is subjected to a firm grip in response to pressure imposed upon the handle in the general direction of the capandso that grip ping engagement of the hand with the cap or-with a distortable element disposed about the cap is not necessary. Accordingly, a relatively light pressure distributed over the whole surface .of the palm of the hand and.the inner surfaces of the fingers may be employed and concentrated upon the cap due to' the wedge-like action of the distortable gripping element to insure a firm grip upon the cap and make ready tightening or loosening thereof possible.

- I claim:

A device of the class described comprising a retainer affording 'a socket having an open end and a thin, substantially rigid wall surrounding the socket and gradually increasing in thickness from the-open end thereof so that the diameter oi the inner end of the socket is less than the diameter of the open end thereof, a gripping element of distortable material having a high coeflicient of friction, said element having a normal substantially cylindrical shape and being pressed into the socket so that its inner portion is compressed and distorted due to the smaller diameter of the inner portion of the socket, the element having a central recess of tapered, generally conical form, the inclination of the wall of said recess being substantially greater than the inclination I of the inner wall ofthe socket so that the material of the element may engage a container cap with a wedge-like action when the cap is inserted insaid recess, and an extension of said retainer aflording a handle having a convexly curved surface to engage the hand of a user and to permit pressure effectively to be imposed in the direction of the axis .of the substantially cylindrical gripping element.

JOHN D. mm; 

